First 100 houses near completion at Palmyra housing development

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal, has announced that major progress is being made on the government’s housing development at Palmyra, Berbice, where 100 three-bedroom homes are currently under construction.

During a visit to the site on Friday, Croal shared that 20 of the homes have already been completed, while the remaining units are 80 to 90 per cent finished.

He noted that by the end of 2025, all 100 houses will be completed, allowing beneficiaries to access and occupy the houses.

“By and large, all those persons for these houses when they want to know what they’ll be buying for Christmas, certainly they’ll be buying things for their home,” Minister Croal said.

The houses, valued at $13.5 million each (inclusive of land), are part of a broader plan for the Palmyra area, which consists of over 1,000 residential lots designed to accommodate housing construction.

Croal explained that about 50 percent of the homes have already been allocated, marking significant progress in the ministry’s goal to expand homeownership.

The minister emphasised that the ministry is shifting focus from merely allocating land to promoting full home ownership, ensuring citizens can move into ready-made homes without the burdens of construction delays or financing challenges.

“This is where we want to push persons—to be able to have their own home very quickly without going through the hassle,” Croal said.

Infrastructure works, including roads and utility connections, have already commenced.

Croal revealed that the Palmyra project is just one of several housing initiatives being rolled out nationwide as part of the government’s commitment to deliver 40,000 houses—approximately 8,000 per year—across all regions.

He also announced plans for a second phase of construction in Palmyra, which will feature homes tailored for young professionals.

The ministry, he added, is strengthening its monitoring systems by integrating a special housing unit that brings together the project and land administration departments to manage the increased workload.

Over the past five years, the ministry has allocated about 5,000 residential lots in Region Six, with efforts ongoing to clear the remaining backlog.

“It’s exciting times ahead for persons who want to speak about home ownership.

“We are putting all the systems and groundwork in place so that when we’re ready to roll out, we can move very quickly and people will be happy,” Croal said.